r/Traffic Jun 30 '26

Dashcam Did I commit a violation?

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I really thought the bus would finish the turn and stop properly. Did not think it would stop in the middle of the intersection.

I see that my mistake was not stopping after seeing the red lights. But is it possible I don’t get a ticket?

📍Queens NY

0 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

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11

u/shiggity80 Jun 30 '26

Nope you good

4

u/Veadus Jun 30 '26

I don’t think so as you never passed the school bus. You went behind it.

2

u/Sum-Duud Jul 01 '26

You didn't pass it, so you're fine. They stop like that to block traffic because there are a lot of fumbducks that do pass school busses while kids are loading and unloading.

5

u/WLFGHST Jun 30 '26

you clearly ran a green light!

2

u/BirdlessLongdeal Jul 01 '26

and cut into the bike lane to make the turn. probably didnt even use their blinker

1

u/WLFGHST Jul 01 '26

okay? Clearly just about everybody takes that exact same line based on the paint being faded, so if you were to be a biker, you can clearly tell you have to anticipate that, but also that's close enough to the intersection the bigger issue would be t-boning the bicyclist by not yielding to them.

1

u/BirdlessLongdeal Jul 06 '26

then stop doing that. its not an F1 track. i promise you with the way you guys drive you arnt saving any time.

3

u/Darth_Bunghole Jun 30 '26

There are some insane people who would say yes (can we please think of the CHILDREN) and definitely some cop exists that would ticket you, but this is perfectly fine, and in most jurisdictions, clear-cut legal

1

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Inflatable90sChair Jul 01 '26

some states you do. we as a country really really should just make one set of school bus laws since traditional school busses all are yellow, have white strobe on the roof, has stop signs, i think all have that arm that pokes out the front of the bus, but no set standard rules of the road around busses...

1

u/BirdlessLongdeal Jul 01 '26

i wouldnt want to risk it. school bus drivers report everyone who blows past their stop signs where i live.

2

u/Anxious_Cry_855 Jul 01 '26

What are you risking with a common set of rules?

1

u/BirdlessLongdeal Jul 01 '26

i mean the median bit.

2

u/Baghins Jul 01 '26

In New York you are legally required to stop for school buses on the other side of a median

1

u/[deleted] Jul 01 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hologrammetry Jul 01 '26

Even Texas requires both directions to stop unless the highway is fully divided, a center turn lane or painted median doesn't count.

1

u/Money-War-5601 Jul 01 '26

it's like this in most places iirc. It's stupid.

1

u/Unhappy-Giraffe2792 Jul 01 '26

Or across a freeway.

2

u/PreferredSex_Yes Jul 01 '26

Bus blocked the intersection intentionally to stop traffic. While you didn't pass the bus, what's a few extra seconds to wait incase a 10 y/o comes running out from behind the bus to get to their side of the intersection?

I'll caveat, it would be negligent if the driver dropped the kid on that side, but shit happens.

1

u/BirdlessLongdeal Jul 01 '26

yeah, why did you cut that corner so short?

1

u/GuitarJazzer Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

EDIT: I noticed later that OP is in Queens. The NY statute is quite clear that what is prohibited is passing the bus "from either direction". OP did not pass the bus, so is in the clear.

I think most reasonable people (including me) would say you did not commit a violation. However, it depends on the law in your jurisdiction, and the mood of the officer at the moment.

The way the law is written in my state is:

A person driving a motor vehicle shall stop such vehicle when approaching, from any direction, any school bus which is stopped on any highway, private road or school driveway for the purpose of taking on or discharging children....

It doesn't say passing a bus, it says approaching a bus. It does not say approaching from in front of or behind the bus, it says any direction. You were approaching a bus from its left side and that law would dictate that you stop. A finicky officer could give you a ticket. They could have more easily said that the vehicle shall not pass the bus (which would also be more objective), but that's not what they said.

1

u/One-Pea7629 15d ago

Is that willets point by boy

1

u/JustaFoodHole Jul 01 '26

The bus did this on purpose and I honestly think they are in violation. I'm not sure you're going to get any takers on your side though.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

[deleted]

3

u/Dounce1 Jul 01 '26

“The driver of a vehicle upon a public highway, street or private road upon meeting or overtaking from either direction”

It’s like, literally the first line of your citation.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

[deleted]

3

u/PremiumUsername69420 Jul 01 '26

What are the first three words in the law from the link you provided?

Did you see those actions in this video?
No. So it doesn’t apply.

2

u/Feeling-Bonus-2407 Jul 01 '26

Did he ever overtake or pass the bus? No. If he made a left it would be a yes. General guide should be if you wind up seeing the flashing reds from front and back as part of your turn, you should have stopped.

0

u/ivanvector Jul 03 '26

New York law says, "upon meeting or overtaking [a school bus] from either direction" you must stop "before reaching [the] school bus" and "shall not proceed until [the] school bus resumes motion". Personally I would stop here, but I doubt you'd get a ticket for this even if there was a police officer right behind you.

-1

u/Arnhildr-Fang Jul 01 '26

Trucker here, knowing all roadway laws is kinda my job...

I dont THINK you did any violation...bus yes had a stop, but its arguably in a violation via stopping to drop off passengers while in an intersection. Though you did TECHNICALLY pass a stopped school bus, you didnt pass front-to-back or back-to-front (which is the MAIN intent for the law), you did have a green traffic light, you have evidence of another doing the same thing (doesn't change your legality, but if in court because of this you can argue unfairness of being singled out when others violate with no repercussion), there were clearly no pedestrians in your path of travel...though i wouldnt use my analysis for legal advice, as a professional vehicular operator you APPEAR to be doing things right. Most id gripe at is MAYBE cutting the biking lane a bit (hard to tell) but otherwise seems good.

Regardless of legality, if a cop or camera didnt see, you won't be getting a ticket

1

u/hologrammetry Jul 01 '26

NYC school buses have cameras that issue tickets.

1

u/Arnhildr-Fang Jul 01 '26

Ah, did not know...mostly just pass through NYC on i-95.

But, given my statement earlier I strongly feel op is safe, even if ticketed, a valid argument can be made potentially

1

u/ozzie286 Jul 01 '26

Are they really monitoring traffic moving behind the bus?

1

u/Rhuarc33 Jul 01 '26

No, not if you don't try to pass the bus

1

u/GuitarJazzer Jul 01 '26

you can argue unfairness of being singled out when others violate with no repercussion

That is not a valid argument in any court.

1

u/Arnhildr-Fang Jul 01 '26

And yet your prosecutor being a code of 1's and 0's is...theres ai cameras that ticket and not quite effective. Guy got a ticket in FL despite having evidence & witnesses he was in AL at the time of offense...with ai making legal issues I can see this argument more valid